Page 48 - San Diego Woman Magazine our POWER WOMEN

Power Women

Dr. Betty Uribe comes DR. BETTY URIBE her financial situation, she was
from humble beginnings. Ac- able to get full funding for col-
tually, they didn’t start out that lege, but had to get herself a job
way, She was born and raised BRINGING VALUES BACK to be able to pay for books. Dr.
in Bogota, Colombia. There Uribe worked full time while
were four children, but she was carrying a full course load of
the only girl. Dr. Betty’s father By Judith A. Habert credits between 18-21 each
owned a transportation com- semester. "I majored in busi-
pany and was a very successful Photos by Maggie Ramos ness and psychology, because I
businessman. However, her wanted to be a business person
father had a secret, “I adored like my Dad."
my father, but he had a dark Dr. Uribe fell in love and
side. He was an alcoholic, and married while an undergrad
he would come home and beat and had a baby, her first son
up my mother. One night he Kristopher. She loved this little
almost killed her. Soon after boy and spent a lot of time car-
this horrible event, my mom sat ing for him. Unfortunately, the
us down and gave us a choice, marriage didn't last, and Dr.
we could stay in Colombia Betty was on her own with her
where we would never want for son. Her desire to gain more
anything because my dad was education and make something
a millionaire. Or we could go of herself was now even greater.
to the US where we would be Some years later Dr. Betty
safe, but also poor. We unani- met and married her second
mously decided that we wanted husband, and they had two
to leave. Literally, we left girls together: Alexandria and
Colombia rich and in a matter Sandra. On the outside, they
of hours, in the course of an appeared to be the happiest of
airplane ride, we became poor.” power couples, but there was
The transition from Bogota trouble in paradise that she
to California was a rough one. discovered one week before
Dr. Betty had been very popu- she was due to start graduate
lar in her private school in Co- school; their marriage ended.
lombia, and she was advanced Devastated, Dr. Betty didn't let
several grades beyond her age. these failed marriages define
When she came to the US, her; she followed through with
she would become invisible. her education and graduated
She didn't speak the language, with her MBA as one of their
and they had put her into the top students while working as
grade they felt appropriate for a senior manager and being
a 12-year-old girl. After seeing a single mother. Her secret?
how advanced Dr. Betty was, Living her life according to her
they moved her up two grades. values; she managed her time
Dr. Betty felt worse for her very closely and only focused
Mom who had been a society on what was most import-
woman back home, and now enough money to be able to she thought she wanted to be ant to her. Whenever she
she was a factory worker. "I retire her. “With Mom working a secretary because it seemed felt inadequate or down, she
remember watching my mom so many hours, Dr. Betty was glamorous to her at the time. remembered what her mom
and, she would get up at 3 am called upon to watch her little Little did she know what she had been through and what she
to go to work and then come brother, who was six-year-old, would go on to accomplish. had done for her children. “I've
home each day with Band- and run the household. Dr. Betty graduated high always had my mother's exam-
Aids™ on her hands and crying. Dr. Betty didn't have any school at the age of 16 and ple, and I've always thought to
And I remember thinking to clear aspirations for what she went on to El Camino College, myself if my mother at the age
myself someday, someday I'm wanted to do in life, but she a junior college at the time. of 45 could come to a brand
going to educate myself and did know she wanted to get a From there she transferred new country with four children
have a job that would give me good education. At that age, over to San Diego State. Given and literally sacrifice riches,

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